Sunlight filters through the curtain. Though weak and wintry, the light is a welcome rarity this time of year. The clock shows the lateness of the morning, yet the house is quiet.

Restful.

We have no obligations this morning. Nothing pressing on our time. It’s beautiful having space to breathe.

Over the break, we’ve taken time to pare down. We spent hours sorting through toys and clothes. We lugged boxes and bins to the donation centre. We embraced e-books and capsule wardrobes. We cleared our schedule of obligations.

Even our Christmas gifts were minimal: one present and a stocking. That’s it. That’s all.

The result has been surprising. By reducing clutter, we’ve increased time. We’re no longer trying to figure out what to wear in the morning or frantically tidying when we could be doing other things. We’re not rushing from one thing to another.

We can breathe.

We unwrapped excess and embraced simplicity. We found space for prayer and reflection. And the greatest gift of all:

Space for the Savior.